@article{3129780,
    title = "PUVA plus interferon α2b in the treatment of advanced or refractory to PUVA early stage mycosis fungoides: A case series",
    author = "Nikolaou, V. and Siakantaris, M.P. and Vassilakopoulos, T.P. and Papadavid, E. and Stratigos, A. and Economidi, A. and Marinos, L. and Papadaki, T. and Antoniou, C.",
    journal = "Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology",
    year = "2011",
    volume = "25",
    number = "3",
    pages = "354-357",
    issn = "0926-9959, 1468-3083",
    doi = "10.1111/j.1468-3083.2010.03732.x",
    keywords = "alpha2b interferon;  methoxsalen, adult;  aged;  anemia;  article;  cardiotoxicity;  clinical article;  drug efficacy;  drug safety;  fatigue;  female;  flu like syndrome;  human;  Kaplan Meier method;  leukocyte count;  log rank test;  male;  mycosis fungoides;  priority journal;  progression free survival;  PUVA;  remission;  Sezary syndrome;  side effect;  systemic therapy, Adult;  Aged;  Aged, 80 and over;  Case-Control Studies;  Combined Modality Therapy;  Dose-Response Relationship, Drug;  Female;  Humans;  Interferon Type I, Recombinant;  Kaplan-Meier Estimate;  Male;  Middle Aged;  Mycosis Fungoides;  PUVA Therapy;  Retrospective Studies;  Treatment Outcome",
    abstract = "Background The combination of PUVA with variable doses of systemically administered interferon α2b (IFN-α2b) reduces the number of PUVA treatments and the dose of IFN-α2b required to produce remission in all mycosis fungoides (MF) stages. Objectives To evaluate the efficacy of the combination of PUVA and IFN-α2b in patients with late stage or refractory to treatment early stage MF. Methods The combination of PUVA three times weekly and IFN-α2b 2-5 MU three times weekly was retrospectively reviewed in 22 patients. Kaplan-Meyer method and log-rank test was used for statistical analysis. Results Twenty-two patients were analysed, seven with refractory to PUVA early stage MF, seven with tumour stage, five with erythrodermic MF and three with Sézary syndrome (SS). The overall response rate (complete or partial response) was 68%, including 10 complete responses (CR) (45%) and five partial responses (PR) (23%). Significantly, more patients of the early stage group achieved CR compared with the advanced stage group (86% vs. 27%, P = 0.03). Within the advanced stage group, CR rates were 14% vs. 37% in stage IIB and III/SS patients respectively, but the difference was not statistically significant. Patients with early stage disease had a 2-year PFS of 100% vs. 27% for the advanced stage group (P < 0.001). Sustained remissions (>2 years) were achieved in five out of six complete responders in the early stage group of patients. Conclusion This combination of IFN-α2b and PUVA is an effective and safe treatment for refractory to treatment early stage MF patients as well as treatment-naïve advanced stage patients. Its efficacy is more pronounced in the former patient group. © 2010 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology."
}